


Never to Part

by Brightstone



Series: Harmony & Co 1000 Word Challenges [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Mates, Vampire Harry Potter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-19
Updated: 2020-02-19
Packaged: 2021-02-27 22:41:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 846
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22803475
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Brightstone/pseuds/Brightstone
Summary: St. Mungo's Hospital, a bastion of healing in Magical Britain, is caught between an immovable object and an unstoppable force as Hermione Granger tried to visit Harry following a vicious attack.
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Harry Potter
Series: Harmony & Co 1000 Word Challenges [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1656205
Comments: 10
Kudos: 253





	Never to Part

St. Mungo’s Hospital – January 1999

“What the hell do you mean, I can’t see him?! He’s my best friend!”

The intern took a nervous step backward as sparks had begun to race through the seemingly living mass of hair floating around Hermione Granger like the crown of a long-forgotten Goddess. “It’s… It’s procedure, ma’am. No contact with the infected.” He shrank under the weight of her glare and squeaked, “It’s against the rules.”

Snarling, she lashed sideways with her wand causing the hapless trainee to tumble down the hallway. “Nobody keeps me from Harry.” Stalking through the ward like a scarcely tamed beast, the staff gave way to her fury until she ended up outside the high-security chambers. Grabbing a nearby staffer by the collar, she redirected them to the door. “Open it and let me in.”

“Miss Granger.” The smooth bass of Kingsley Shacklebolt, Minister for Magic, resonated through the fragile silence created in her passage. “Please let the poor boy go and follow me. After we talk, if you feel strongly enough about it, you can see Mister Potter.”

Dropping the nerveless man to the floor, she stomped her way after the Minister allowing the staff to breathe a sigh of relief.

ooo

“Please, take a seat.”

Narrowing her eyes, she glared, “I’d rather stand. Talk fast, so I can get to Harry.”

Sighing, he steepled his fingers, “We’re not sure who turned Mister Potter. From what we could tell, it happened in Grimmauld Place.” Seeing her nostrils flare, he held up a hand, “The threshold was shattered by the constant Dark magic practiced by the Black family, the decaying Fidelius charm, and while I am loath to speak ill of the dead, it’s entirely possible that Severus had passed the secret as a means of disposing of Mister Potter once his revenge upon the Dark Lord was complete.”

He pretended not to hear mutterings of hiring a necromancer to torture Snape’s soul. When her vile imprecations tapered off, he continued, “What is your relationship with Mister Potter?”

Arching her eyebrow, she deadpanned, “He is my best friend. You know that.”

He stared at her, making her squirm slightly. “And?”

“And nothing.”

“Is he romantically entangled with anyone at the moment? Are you, for that matter?”

Hermione grimaced, “No. Despite the wishes of the Weasleys, neither of us decided to follow ‘Mother Molly’s’ plan of one big family.”

Seeing him blink, she shook her head, “Harry is a Potter, not a Weasley. It’s the height of presumption to think he would allow his family to be absorbed into her oppressive clutches. As for me, Ronald had been a fair-weather friend. I shudder to think of how he would be in a relationship.”

That elicited a warm rumbling laugh from the Minister as he nodded, “Indeed. Now, as to why I intercepted you and why the procedure is in place.” Seeing her straighten, he continued, “As a freshly turned vampire, Harry has certain instincts and reactions that make him unsafe to be around. With few exceptions, a young woman entering that room would be bitten and drained to her ultimate demise before he could stop himself. It’s not something he can control alone. Now, St. Mungo’s has developed a technique involving donated blood, simulacra, and tailored blood replenishing potions to sate his feral nature until his sanity returns. After that, visitors would be permitted under supervision.”

“What exceptions?”

Kingsley blinked, “They are astronomically rare, Miss Granger.” Her glare pressed him to continue, “Only his mate could enter while mortal and remain safe.”

“His… mate? I knew I should have read up more on vampires.” She grumbled under her breath, “Stupid Dark Lords interrupting my studies.”

“Just so. Like the highly romanticized nonsense of soulmates, vampires and other supernatural beings like werewolves are more sensitive to the magical nature of individuals and their surroundings. Their mate has a magical signature that resonates with theirs to an almost spiritual degree. Often, vampires can search their entire lives without finding that one person. The odds of you being that one? Slim to the point of impossible.”

The door tore open as a panicked intern ran in, “Minister! We need help out here!”

Hermione and Kingsley reentered the ward to the thunderous report of impact against the door of the secure ward. The minister drew his wand and began sketching defensive wards and fortifications while Hermione, seemingly entranced, took a tentative step toward the door. Shacklebolt’s words of warning felt like they were rippling through water as they reached her uncaring ears.

As he reached to restrain her, the door and part of the wall shattered causing the fearful masses to take cover.

Feeling arms encircling her, Hermione looked up in a daze at her best friend who she had loved dearly for nearly half of her life. She stared in wonder as the feral red of his eyes bled away, leaving only the crystalline green that so often took her breath away. “Harry…”

A familiar crooked smile was her reward as his lips descended on her own, “Mine…”


End file.
